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We will be visiting Pond Farm in July 2018.
My wife's uncle Tom Fletcher Mayson won his Victoria Cross on 31st July 1917, the first day of the 3rd Ypres offensive at Pond Farm. He left a narrative in his own words relating to the first day and his part in it. We have items that we think would interest Stijn and look forward very much to making his acquaintance on our visit.

What a superb website, with many interesting aspects about the Great War in this part of Belgium. I am a member of the Western Front Association, and will be taking part in the WFA Chairman's Tour for the Ypres Centenary in October. I believe we will be visiting Pond farm on Sunday, 8th October 2017 to view the private museum. Something I am very much looking forward to.

Hello Stijn It is a great honour to have been the first person to visit your farm/museum, my first visit was on the 8th April 2005,I have visited numerous times since in 2007 I came & we laid a wreath at the site of Border House (90years) & the weekend of the 100 years commemorations of which I was fortunate to have been present both days in Ieper & Tyne Cot, on the 30th I came & we laid another wreath (100years) since the 3rd Ieper started on the 31st July 1917 when my grandfather & many of the Cambridgeshire Regiment were killed at that site.
You do us proud in what you are doing with the many items that you unearth on your farm & display in your ever growing museum. Thank you so much for that your forever friend,
Michael Ward

Hello Stijn
I have just had a lovely browse around your excellent site.
My Grear Uncle was killed on or near your farm on the 16th of August 1917. I and My Brother will be coming to the on the 16th August 2017 , excatly 100 years to the day he died. The Information I have information that he was Killed between 9.00am and 10.00 am that morning returnin from one of the pill-boxs that they had captured but having run out of Resorces and Water they were recalled and he was killed on the return.
I would dearly love to come and see your musium and maybe talk a little with you on that date.. It would be wonderful to honour him as his remains where never found..

We just wanted to thank you for a wonderful and highly memorable visit we made with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers group on 8th June. It was by far the highlight of our trip to the area and you were marvellous hosts. We particularly enjoyed chatting to you about the replica tank and would very much like to return to see it in all its glory.

Hi, just to introduce myself. I have just registered for your site as I think that your efforts to maintain interest in the the conflicts that occurred in your area and the respect that you show for the fallen deserve recognition, thank you. I shall be visiting Ypres, and especially Frezenberg in June to see where my Grandfather was killed. Wishing you all the very best.

Please let me know if you're looking for a writer for your weblog. You have some really great posts and I feel I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I'd really like to write
some articles for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine.

We learned of Pondfarm while still in Australia. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and strongly recommend anyone in the area arranges to visit Pondfarm.

Pondfarm was one of the highlights of our trip to Belgium and France. The opportunity to visit a working farm where the artefacts on display came from the nearby fields, where recently sourced WW1 ammunition sits in a locked cage awaiting disposal, where photos of the farm tractor ploughing up a phosphorous bomb can be seen and where the building material came from Germany as WW1 reparations, all made an impression on us. Not to mention the bunker still sitting in the fields and the cracks in the house where previous generations tried to blow it up.

Stijn was very informative and generous with his time. All the artefacts were right in front of you, not behind a glass case and that gave the visit an informal atmosphere that cannot be experienced in the larger museums, for obvious reasons. Well done Stijn!

Hello Stijn,
Wonderful website; thank you for what you've done and are doing, and I look forward to perhaps meeting you in October when I will be visiting the Canadian WWI venues in and around Ypres/Ieper. So very sorry for the loss of your faithful, 4 legged companion but hope you're enjoying the puppy and will for many, many years.

I like your web site very much Stijn. My Great Uncle Robert was killed on or near your farm on 21st July 1917. We shall certainly come and visit your museum next Spring when we will be visiting Ieper. Gyillmard Horsfield

Stijn, my friends and I would like to thank you for a most interesting visit to your collection of World War 1 ammunition, weapons and equipment. We were amazed at all the items that you had managed to collect, and were very impressed with the way you had displayed them, and how you informed us about them. We all look forward to visiting you to view your collection again in the future, and have no hesitation to recommend others to visit Pond Farm. Thank you for a most enjoyable evening. Best wishes, Terry

Great visit Stijn had a great time and your hospitality was excellent very friendly guy hit it off with you straight away.The Museum of excavated artifacts is tremendous and getting larger each time you dig around Pondfarm,anybody who has a interest in the Salient must visit your Battle Farm.I will be spreading the word its fantastic will be seeing you again soon when iam next over for my next tour.

Keep up the great work and Lest We Forget to our fallen brothers in the Salient.

I recently visited your area,for the second time.My father fought ,with the Liverpool Scottish Reg,in the area where you are.He served alongside Noel Chavasse,who as you will know won the V.C twice,the second time being badly wounded near Bossaert Farm,just down the road from you. My son and I called to the farm,to see if there was any remains of the blockhouse Noel was in when he was badly injured, the lady there brought us down to your farm.We were really interested in the museum you have started,and it really is excellent.Even more so due to the fact you have collected the items yourself.We hope thet when we come next year we maybe able to meet each other.
Len Cottam

Thank you for leaving a message on my website! I'm happy that you have visit our museum and that you liked it. My mother told me everything about the kind people who had visit Pondfarm. I hope also to see you next year! (When you come, mail me: stijn_butaye@msn.com)

Hello Stijn
Thanks you for making us very welcome when we visited your excellent museum and farm in March. Stijn I don't know if you remember me asking you if I could bring some more friends over in November. If that would be possible, we will be in Ieper from Thursday 10th till Sunday 13th. My email is derekloosbond@hotmail.co.uk